Genuinely Happy
by Representin' All Day
Summary: When they broke up they acted like everything was fine, that they were still happy without each other. But it was one big lie. When Cindy gets sick and he takes care of her, they're both reminded at how long ago they've both been genuinely happy. JC
1. Introduction

**_A/N: Here's another story about our favorite couple...This was actually written a while ago but I was busy working on Qualities that I forgot to post it...So please let me know what you think about the introduction and I'll take it off from their._**

**_Disclaimer:I don't own Jimmy Neutron..._**

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Four years ago, at 13, James Neutron and Cindy Vortex officially started dating. Not only were their closest friends relieved but every person, except for a select few, in Retroville was too. So relieved that the two supposed "rivals" finally ended their complex love-hate relationship and declared themselves as a couple.

It was safe to say that Jimmy and Cindy weren't the only ones tired of hidden feelings.

They were a couple for four and a half years. All the years were filled with both good and bad times but they managed to pull through them. Everyone whose seen them thought that they were the perfect couple. The kind of couple that seemed to be able to go through anything but then all of the sudden, with no warning, Cindy ended her relationship with Jimmy three months after he turned 17.

The two remained friends and on the outside, they pretended that nothing was wrong. On the outisde, they showed their wall of fake happiness; the barriers that protected the inner turmoil of their emotions from showing on the surface. The two went back to being what they were like before. Hell, not even like before.

They talked to one another but not willingly. The only time that they did talk to one another was if someone brought them both into a conversation. Due to the fact that they were both not speaking, there were no arguments that erupted during class or any other time. The two acknowledged the other's presence but they didn't do anything about it. They remained civil but not really the closest of friends.

Everyone else was in shock for them. Their relationship ended so suddenly that people didn't know what to think. The people of Retroville couldn't understand how two people who seemed to have loved one another so much just ended things the way that it did. To them, silence had never sounded so wrong and tense.

The two of them were unwilling to talk about their relationship due to the awkwardness that was sure to follow, and Jimmy not quite wanting to know the answer yet still dying to hear it anyway, but not knowing how to approach the situation.

So, in the end the two were stuck in the middle of a stalemate; both too cowardly to take the step forward.


	2. Chapter 1

**Sorry for taking so long to update but I had a busy summer. I hope you guys like it... **

**Small Warning: I personally think that the characters are slightly OOC in this story but I did try to stick to their personalities.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Jimmy Neutron or any other characters that relate to the show... :( On the brighter side though, I do own the character of Carl's girlfriend. Small but still...**

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Cindy laid in and bed and covered her face with her pillow just as soon as a sneeze came out. She groaned in annoyance. It was nearly four in the afternoon and she had stayed in bed the whole day. Cindy found herself too weak and tired to do anything, plus she was cold. Really cold.

Her groans increased in volume as she forced herself to sit up. She, with great effort, pushed her legs off the bed and forced them to go to her dressing table. Cindy took a seat in the tiny chair and looked at the image in the mirror. Her eyes widened when she saw her own reflection.

Cindy's hair was a mess, but that was the least of her problems. Her eyes were a dull green, with dark purplish rings underneath them. Her nose was red while the rest of her face was as pale as paper. And to top it all off, her whole body ached. _**Great **_

Cindy covered her face in her hands, as she whispered, "No…no. This can't be happening. Of course, _**I**_ would get sick in the middle of spring break. Life's…" She sneezed loudly, followed by a fit of coughs. "Not fair."

A few minutes later, Cindy felt herself get colder and colder. She shivered as she walked over to her closet and put on an oversized _Retroville High_ sweater over her short tank top and pajama pants. Soon after, Cindy was just about ready to jump back into bed until the sound of the doorbell got her attention.

For a brief moment, she just stood there waiting, hoping that it was just some person dropping off a package but that wasn't the case. Cindy groaned as she heard the doorbell ring once more. She let out an agitated breath before walking down the stairs. Anger boiled within the girl; she was supposed to be in her bed lying down, watching some TV until the idiot standing out her door rang the godforsaken doorbell.

When she finally made it to the door, she was very much prepared to start yelling at the unfortunate victim when she locked gazes with sparkling blue eyes.

Her anger and annoyance quickly washed away and was replaced with awkwardness. Jimmy gave her a small sheepish smile though it didn't quite reach his eyes. He looked down as he said in his tenor voice, "Hi."

Cindy's heart jumped involuntarily. She mentally reprimanded herself for doing so. She reminded herself that it's been 3 months since the break-up and that her heart shouldn't react in such a way anymore. It had no right to do that anymore.

Despite that though, her heart continued to beat erratically when the boy in front of her continued to speak, "Um, did you forget? All six of us were supposed to hang out at the Candy Bar to- Hey, you look awful."

Cindy rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, her sickness making her more short-tempered than usual. "Gee, thanks Neutron. I didn't realize. Your sense of sensitivity and awareness is really top notch. It's a wonder why you don't have a girlfriend."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Cindy's eyes widened in shock and regret.

Jimmy quickly looked away for a moment, his eyes closed; hands slightly quavering. When he finally turned to Cindy again, Jimmy's face held no other evidence of being affected by the words. His face and tone became formal as he spoke, "Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I should've been more sensitive but you look really sick. Are your parents home? Do they know?"

On the inside, Cindy felt guilty for hurting Jimmy with her words but as usual her ego stopped her from apologizing. Like always he was the one doing it for her. Then she replied to his question, "No, Neutron. My parents don't know because they're obviously not here. They left for a cruise two days ago to celebrate their 20th Anniversary. They won't be back till the end of Spring Break which is next week Friday."

Without warning, Jimmy found himself getting new found confidence as he took a step towards her until they were barely 2 inches apart. Ever so slowly, hesitantly, Jimmy lifted both his hands and placed one on her warm forehead and the other on the side of her neck. Cindy's breath hitched softly but thankfully Jimmy didn't notice. He was too focused in trying to determine her temperature; eyebrows furrowed together.

As quickly as the moment had come, Jimmy pulled his hands away and was already a safe distance away from her, his face looking down. Deep within her, Cindy could feel the longing building.

He whispered, "I'm sorry for having to do that but I wanted to see how high your temperature was. I don't need a thermometer to tell that you have a really bad fever. You're burning up."

Cindy scoffed, "I'd rather be burning up right now. I'm freezing cold."

He looked at her with concern. It was spring time in Retroville. The lowest the temperature had gotten in the past 10 years during that time of the year was 60°F. Wordlessly, the boy took out his phone and dialed a number.

He was silent for a few minutes, waiting for the receiver to pick up. Then he said, "What's up Libs? Um, what are you doing with Sheen's phone?" He paused as Libby replied. Then, "Oh. So, Sheen's sick too? Along with Danielle? Is Carl with her?" He smiled when Libby answered back. "Of course, I should've known. Carl does keep saying he found his perfect girl.

"I'm guessing then, that none of us can meet tonight? Oh, what about me? I'm here with Cin…here with Cindy." The girl watched with fascination and confusion as Jimmy faltered at her name.

"She's sick. Her parents aren't home to take care of her, plus her fever is really high. I-" Jimmy paused, obviously being interrupted by Libby. He then replied back to her, his tone holding a hint of anger, his face defiant.

"Why wouldn't I be okay? I've dealt with it already, it's not like it makes a difference. It's done and over with." After a few moments pause, he added softly, so softly that Cindy couldn't hear. "She's moved on Libs, and I'm perfectly fine. Thanks for looking out for me though. And tell Sheen to get better."

He hung up the phone and faced a curious Cindy. She asked, "What was the last thing that you told Libby?" He didn't look at her and ignored the look of slight contempt on her face. He walked past her as her anger started to rise from the lack of an answer.

Quietly, he turned to face her and waited for Cindy to follow him into the living room.

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**Please review, I really appreciate all the feedback that I get from you guys. Especially with this story because I wasn't really quite satisfied with it but I didn't really know how I could change it anymore.**

**_Representin' All Day_**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey guys...Sorry for taking so long to upload. School is so FREAKIN crazy...But anyways hope that you guys like this new chapter... As always please review. I wanna know what people think!! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Jimmy Neutron. (sadly)**

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As Cindy locked and closed the door behind her, she followed her neighbor into her living room, arms folded over her chest. "I don't need someone to take care of me Neutron. I know how…" She let out a cough that left her throat raw. When she spoke again her voice was hoarse. "To take care of myself. And your parents are gonna be furious at _**me**_ for getting _**you**_ sick. I don't need to add another problem into my life. Okay?"

Jimmy remained silent for a while, staring at his shoes. When he finally looked up, Cindy could see the wall that he built in his eyes. He said, "Don't worry about me." The boy paused to gently, slowly, lead her to the couch. The sudden yet small contact of their hands caused both hearts to race. "I haven't been sick since the 7th grade and that was 5 years ago. And, my parents are gone too."

Seeing her questioning glance he continued, "There in London. Um, there was a raffle contest at my dad's work and you know how my dad is with them." For the first time, Cindy could see the wall fade as Jimmy smiled at the memory. "He, uh, spent $200 on 350 tickets. Needless to say, my mom was furious. But that changed when he won. So, my father won an all expense paid vacation to a duck convention. The only reason my mom went with him was because it was a free trip to England."

Cindy couldn't help but give a small laugh at the story. She could clearly imagine Mr. Neutron going to great lengths just to attend a duck convention. After a few seconds, Jimmy joined in and together they laughed, just like old times. Carefree and happy.

As quickly as it happened, it ended with Cindy's long fit of coughing and continuous sneezing.

Jimmy's face was a mask of concern and quickly asked her, "Where's your medicine?"

After a few minutes, Cindy finally answered in a stuffy voice, "It's down the hall in the closet. It should be on the second shelf from the bottom."

He quickly rushed out the room and came back just as quick, arms full of boxes. Slowly, he placed all the boxes on the coffee table in front of the couch.

The girl stared at the boxes in front of her with wide eyes. She picked up one and read the bottle. Cindy coughed once before saying, "Hey Spewtron, I have a fever not arthritis. I don't think that I need to take back joint medication. Plus, this is for my father, specially prescribed for him."

Jimmy looked down, his face slightly flushed. When he looked up, he stared at her with innocent, apologetic eyes. She knew him better than that though. Underneath the emotions that he showed in his eyes, she could see the self-annoyance. He sighed and said quietly, "I'm sorry. I'm sure that you can tell by now that I have no idea how to take care of someone. I guess I just panicked, you know. I, well, uh…you just got me worried that's all. Sorry."

Her annoyance slowly ebbed and faded away as she heard the sincerity in his tone. Slowly, she nodded her head and responded as she picked up another box. "I think that this is the one that you wanted to give me. The only the problem is that it makes you really drowsy and only stops me from coughing and sneezing. It doesn't reduce the fever or stop the chills. My mom never got around to buying the other ones."

Nodding slightly, Jimmy wordlessly reached his hand out to take the box from the sick girl's hands. An easy task but, like everything else between them, it became more complicated than necessary.

Cindy pulled her hand away as Jimmy reached for the box. When Cindy refused to give up the little medicine box, Jimmy felt a rush of anger flow through him. After 3 months of suppressing his anger and other feelings, he just needed his release. His body tensed as he yelled out to the girl, "Damn it Cindy! For ONCE, stop being difficult! Why don't you stop being stubborn and just give me the damn box! If you want to get better, then you need to take the medicine!"

For a few seconds, Cindy remained silent, taken aback by Jimmy's words. It wasn't long however before it was her turn to snap. "Who are you talking to like that Neutron?! If you would just listen the first time then there would be **no** need for you to get pissed! I said that the medicine makes me drowsy and I'm _**so sorry**_ that I don't feel like sleeping at 5:30 in the afternoon!

"If you're just mad that you have to take care of me, NO ONE said that you needed to. I could have managed fine on my own! I never said that I needed you to help me!"

Jimmy looked as if he was just slapped in the face. He remained silent but it was clear to see that he wanted to say more. He let out a long sigh to calm himself down before he ran his hand over his face, seeming defeated. After a few moments of tense silence, he said, voice tired, "Listen Cin-Cindy." Cindy noticed again how the boy hesitated at the mention of her name. It was then that she realized that since the break-up, he hardly said a word directly to her nor had he said her name out right.

He continued, "I apologize for snapping. The situation was so minor, I had not right to react in such a way. I'm sorry. I just had a lot going on in my mind. I was just…I was worried. I was, am, worried about you and just want you to feel better.

"It's pretty obvious that I absolutely have no clue what I'm doing…_**I'm**_ worthless in this situation. And all the sudden, I manage to find something that could at least provide some comfort to you, and just for once I felt useful. I just…I want you better."

Cindy stared at him silently, mouth slightly agape. That was the most words that Jimmy had said to her directly in over two months. His blue eyes almost begging her to remain silent, to not respond to anything that he had just said; pleading. Then all of the sudden, not knowing what took control over her mind, Cindy stood up and walked over to him, bodies barely a centimeter apart.

He looked at her with curious eyes but said nothing. Then, she did something that neither of them expected. She hugged him. She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her body tight against his.

Underneath her touch, Cindy could feel Jimmy stiffen, his breath hitched. Cindy froze too, but for a possibly different reason than Jimmy. The sudden contact of their skins brought back the rush emotions that she fought and worked so hard to hide. The hug didn't last for very long, a few seconds at most, but to the two, it seemed like an eternity before they broke apart.

She pulled herself away and gave him a small apologetic look. He, however, didn't catch it. His eyes were fixed to the floor, his face ducked down and turned away. From what little she could see from his face, Cindy could tell that the boy's face was flushed. And for the first time, Cindy was actually glad that she was sick. If she wasn't she just knew that her face would have been as flushed as the boy's.

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**Just a reminder... Please review!! It really does help me out...**

**~Representin' All Day**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone...So sorry that I couldn't update in the longest time. School is pretty much dominating my life and it SUCKS!!! But tonight is one of those rare nights that I don't have any homework and I decided to work on this... Hope you guys like it cuz I've kinda been out of it for a while and I don't know if my writing has started to suck. Please review.**

**Disclaimer: Don't really own Jimmy Neutron :(**

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When she looked into his eyes, she could see them staring back at her. His blue eyes almost begging her to remain silent, to not respond to anything that he had just said; pleading. Then all of the sudden, not knowing what took control over her mind, Cindy stood up and walked over to him, bodies barely a centimeter apart.

He looked at her with curious eyes but said nothing. Then, she did something that neither of them expected. She hugged him. She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her body tight against his.

Underneath her touch, Cindy could feel Jimmy stiffen, his breath hitched. Cindy froze too, but for a possibly different reason than Jimmy. The sudden contact of their skins brought back the rush emotions that she fought and worked so hard to hide. The hug didn't last for very long, a few seconds at most, but to the two, it seemed like an eternity before they broke apart.

She pulled herself away and gave him a small apologetic look. He, however, didn't catch it. His eyes were fixed to the floor, his face ducked down and turned away. From what little she could see from his face, Cindy could tell that the boy's face was flushed. And for the first time, Cindy was actually glad that she was sick. If she wasn't she just knew that her face would have been as flushed as the boy's.

When Jimmy finally looked up, she could see disappointment, frustration and slight anger in his features. The boy's oceanic eyes met emerald, and the young girl found herself turning away; the concentrated emotion in them was too much for her. When she finally dared to look back, his face was blank as if the emotions were just wiped clean.

After a moment's pause, he walked closer to her, his hand stretched out again. This time, Cindy handed him the box without a word of protest. Jimmy smiled slightly, "Thank you…How bout this? Since we spent 35 minutes arguing, and it's now 6:10, I'll give you the medicine at 6:30. Do we both agree?"

Cindy rolled her eyes at him but smiled anyway as she nodded her head. He continued, "Well then, since that's settled, let's get some food into your system. After that, you're taking your medicine and you're going to bed. And just to clarify, I wasn't asking. You look exhausted."

Cindy was about to protest until she caught a glance of herself in the mirror across the room. Her eyes were so dull that they looked grey, and the rings under her eyes darkened in color. The girl's mouth gaped wide open in shock.

The teenaged genius gave her a small, gentle smile before placing his hand lightly on the small of her back, guiding her to the kitchen.

Once inside, he turned to the sick girl and gently ordered, "Sit." Cindy glared at him, knowing full well that he knew that she didn't like being told what to do. Nonetheless, she complied with boy's request and seethed silently.

He walked into the Vortex's pantry and despite himself, Jimmy couldn't stop from whistling at the items. Jimmy grabbed one of the cans and said to Cindy, "Caviar? In a can? With writing in French?"

She let out a small laugh. "A little random there Neutron? Um, you know my parents…I'm fine with the simple things in life but of course they want the best and most expensive. They're good people just with expensive wallets; you've been here so many times before to know that."

The boy forced down a rush of memories before they could engulf him in the pain. He gave her a somewhat forced smile before he placed the can back on the shelf and made his way to the girl. As he walked toward her, he said, "What do you feel like eating then? I probably could manage to make something edible enough for you." He gave her a small smile.

But, before she could respond to question, she felt her body quiver from the increasing amount of chills, and not only was she freezing, she felt a wave of nausea and dizziness hitting her. The room around her spun so fast that she felt that she was falling, a massive headache thudding against the sides of her head. She closed her eyes for a long moment and when she finally opened them, her gaze met a pair of worried eyes.

Before she knew it, more she focused on his eyes, the more the room around her gradually stopped spinning until it finally ceased to a halt.

The boy remained silent for a few minutes, his tongue feeling heavy. His face had a look of forced calm but if anyone were to be fooled by that façade; one look into his eyes would say otherwise. Softly he whispered, his face barely an inch away from hers. "Are-are you okay" The boy breathed out a sigh of relief as she nodded. After a moment's pause, he unconsciously pulled back a stray lock of hair from her face. He whispered softly, "You really scared me…You were swaying back and forth in your seat and I barely made it here before you fell." Cindy blinked her eyes in surprise and it was then that she realized a slight pressure on her upper arm.

They stayed silent for a long while before Jimmy said, a slightly forced lightness in his tone, "After that little spell, I'd take it that you're not very hungry right now?"

Cindy, suddenly tired, gave a him a weak smile and said softly, "No, not really Neutron," Before she could continue, a fit of rough coughing and continuous sneezing stopped her. After her fit of coughs and sneezes, she continued, her voice stuffy, "Thank you though Neutron."

He nodded and released his grip from her arm. Then, without warning, Jimmy wrapped one arm around Cindy's waist and placed the other under her legs. Easily and gently, he lifted her from her chair.

The sick teen gasped and in her surprise, she wound her arms around Jimmy's neck. The boy struggled to keep his composure, and to prevent himself from laughing at the girl's surprise but he ultimately failed. It wasn't long then before Cindy herself, started laughing as hard as the boy. It wasn't long before their eyes met, and when it did they both turned away, embarrassed.

The two remained silent throughout the entire walk up the stairs and into Cindy's bedroom. Once inside, he gently laid her on her bed and covered her with a thick blanket.

He gave the girl a quick look over to make sure that she was fine before he said, "I forgot your medicine downstairs. I'm gonna go run down their real quick and bring it back up to you. I'll be really quick," He turned to leave, but before he did he turned back around, "Are you still cold? If you are, I'll turn up the thermostat before I go down the stairs if that okay with you?"

She gave him a small nod and watched as Jimmy ran out the room. As a cold shiver passed throughout her body, Cindy felt a strange rush of sadness and longing. She knew that she shouldn't be feeling that way anymore but in the few hours that Jimmy was with her; he brought with him the buried memories of times when the two of them were actually _**happy. **_

For the first time in three months, she actually remembered what happiness tasted like, and she wanted it back.

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**Please read and review...**

**Representin' All Day**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the long wait for this new chapter. I am unsure of what to think about this chapter. So please know what you guys think… **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Jimmy Neutron **

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Cindy tried to clear her mind; anything to distract her from the longing and the realization of how unhappy she was. Before she could jump out of her bed to escape from the overwhelming emotions, Jimmy walked through the door.

The girl gave him a small look of relief. The boy, misunderstanding her stare, thought that the girl was furious at him. He swallowed nervously, then smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry that I took so long. I had to measure out the medicine and I found a couple more blankets to keep you warm. I-I'm sorry."

When the two's eyes met, Cindy's eyes widened in awe and surprise at the strength of the emotion in the boy's azure eyes. For the first time she could see the depth of the pain and the hurt he was feeling.

The two quickly broke off the gaze as Jimmy walked over to her bed.

In one hand, Jimmy held a tiny measuring cup filled to the brim with a thick clear liquid. On the other hand, Jimmy held a bigger glass filled with ice water. And tucked under his arm, Jimmy managed to carry two thick comforters.

He handed Cindy the medicine cup. For a moment, Cindy looked at the medicine with distaste, sniffling as she did so. With one more glance at the boy towering above her, she drank it all in one gulp.

Her face twisted as the medicine flowed down her throat. With a grateful glance, Cindy took the glass of water from the boy's hands and drank deeply.

Jimmy's eyes and face remained a mask of concern but his tone was light as he said, "Without fail, you always swallow more than you can handle don't you Vortex?"

Cindy snorted and rolled her eyes. She smiled slightly but remained silent; she found herself more tired than usual, the sickness and the medicine taking a toll on her consciousness.

After many long minutes of tense yet somehow comforting silence, Jimmy finally whispered, "I'm sorry that you had to suffer through that but on the bright side, the medicine's gonna help to reduce that high fever of yours. It's gonna give you some comfort when you sleep."

"Ha. I doubt it Neutron…" She paused after a bout of sneezing and coughing. Her voice was stuffy and slightly raspy, "The fever, coughing, and sneezing may go away pretty soon but the real problem is going to be the chills. I can already tell that the cold chills is going to keep me awake despite the stupid," She yawned, her tone becoming more quiet as sleep tried to take over. But as always, the hard-headed girl fought it off.

Jimmy' eyebrows furrowed in concern, he sat on the edge of the girl's bed and placed the two comforters on top of the girl. After, he once again placed a cool and slightly shaking hand on he sweltering forehead. Apparently the medicine hadn't kicked in yet.

As quickly as it happened, Jimmy pulled his hand away; his eyes getting a far away look, his expression suddenly annoyed and angry. "I wish I could make all this go away. I'd go to my house and bring back this medicine that my mom had that stopped the chills but we had used it all up the last time my mom was sick." Unconsciously, he brushed back a lock of stray hair behind her ear. He let out a furious sigh. "I'd drive to the pharmacy downtown but my parents used my car to get to the airport."

He said, more to himself than her, "Of all the damn times, my father's 10 year old car decides to break down and my own car is unavailable for use. Just when I needed it the most!"

Jimmy ran his hands over his face and Cindy could hear him murmur, his words almost incomprehensible, "I'm so sorry. I can't imagine a person worse than I to be stuck in this situation with. I'm completely worthless! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

When he finally looked up, Cindy could see the defeat written everywhere on his face. Seeing that the boy before her was so upset and over _**her**_ , for that matter, brought a sudden boldness to the girl. Without hesitation, she reached a hand up and cupped Jimmy's strong and steady jaw. She rubbed her thumb across his cheek, feeling the rough stubble that was already growing on his face.

The look of despair disappeared to be replaced with surprise and some comfort. Slowly, he closed his eyes and placed his hand on top of hers; reveling in the feeling of her hand on his face, thumb stroking his face. To the boy, the moment was bittersweet. The longing he felt every time he was around her magnified; he _**needed**_ her.

The two of them sat in silence for a long while until Cindy shivered once again. Jimmy opened his eyes and regretfully freed his face from the girl's hand. As soon as their skins lost contact, a feeling of loss washed through them.

The silence that came soon afterward was almost unbearable, bringing with it a new wave of thick tension between them.

The silence stayed for many moments before Jimmy stood up, eyes glancing to the wall clock. He turned to her and said, "It's almost midnight. You should get some sleep. This fever's wearing you out."

She gave him a slight nod of her head as she watched the boy turn off the main light switch, turning off the lights in the room. Every step that he took echoed in her ears, the need rising within her as she thought of him being away from her.

As he was walked out of her doorframe, Cindy called out in a hoarse, soft tone, "Jimmy…"

Due to his large steps, the boy was already halfway down the stairs but despite that and the low volume of her tone, Jimmy still managed to hear his name. In less than a minute, James Neutron found himself at the girl's side, standing in a room lit only by the light of the moon through the curtains.

He kneeled in front of her and looked at her with concern, "What's wrong? Did something happen? Are you hurting?"

"No, um, no. I just realized that I had to ask you something."

He sighed in relief, though his face had a look of questioning on it. "Of course. I already make a sucky care taker, answering a question is the least I can do."

Cindy's heart was going erratic as the night continued to wear on. For what seemed like the hundredth time of the day, Cindy felt her heart flutter at the boy's words. He waited patiently for her to speak. She took a deep breath. In her mind, she imagined saying her words with confidence but in the end, what came out was a jumbled mess. "Um, uh, I was wondering…could you stay? I mean…could you stay here…with me? Just for tonight?"


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Wouldn't you know? Two chapters in one day. I'm surprised at myself. I think it's a new personal record, two updates in one day… **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Jimmy Neutron or all related characters but if I did, the show would continue on for forever…**

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Jimmy froze. His face was expressionless but his eyes showed his hesitation and conflict. Sensing the hesitation, Cindy said hurriedly, "I'm not saying that you have to, it's just for the first time, and I can't believe actually admitting it but… I don't think that I can manage on my own without you here."

Despite his earlier misgivings, his face softened at Cindy's words. The silence was deafening before he replied, "Not a problem."

When he saw Cindy's tired face beam and light up with just the whisper of two words, to Jimmy, it would be worth whatever feeling of pain and longing he would get in the long run. He gave her a sad smile though he knew that she wouldn't be able to see him. "Now…since it's settled that I won't be going anywhere. I want you to sleep. Your body needs as much rest as it can to recover from whatever bug you have."

She gave him a look of surprised realization, "I just realized, where are you going to sleep?"

"Me? I can sleep on the couch downstairs…" Even in the dim light, Jimmy could see the look of distress that the girl was trying to hide. Quickly he added, "Or, I could sleep on your windowsill. It's wide and sturdy enough to hold me. Now please Cindy, rest."

Cindy struggled to give him a small smile, exhaustion sweeping through her body. It wasn't long before she finally let sleep take her.

Jimmy sighed. He made his way to his "bed" and sat on the edge, his face in his hands. It was so hard for him. Having to be so close to her after 2 months of hardly talking. Then just knowing that he wouldn't have been in this position had she not been sick.

They were friends, if you could call not talking and just being in the same vicinity as one another as friendship.

The break up destroyed him but after a while he had found a way to recover, somewhat. The longing, the pain, they still felt as fresh as it had when they ended things but it was manageable. He had gotten good at hiding it. He could have lived with having to resort back to stolen glances and accidental contact, but then the universe just had a funny way of putting them in this situation. A situation where they _**had **_to be close. To talk after so many months of silence.

To feel the tension that haunted them. It hung around them like a cloud, not as noticeable before due to the lack of time that they spent with one another.

Jimmy looked up. He made his way to the girl's bed and he looked down, his face softening. She was finally asleep, her breathing deep and even; the medicine finally easing the stuffiness from her nose. For the first time of that day, her face looked peaceful.

Without meaning to, he found himself kneeling before her. Slowly, hesitantly he reached his hand out and put it on the side of her face. On contact, he felt as if his hand was on fire. It was amazing that such as a small contact could make him feel in such a way. He stroked her hair and caressed the side of her face.

He whispered, "They never make it easy. Life's not fair is it? It just has this way of making things more complicated and complex between the both of us." He laughed humorlessly and sighed.

At that, he rose from the floor and walked back to the windowsill. He took off his shirt, leaving him in an undershirt and shorts. He then sat on the cool, hard plaster; his back to the wall and his stretched out legs had to bend to fit between the two walls.

He gave the girl on the bed one more glance before he leaned his head on the wall. It took a while but in the end, Jimmy finally managed to drift to sleep.

The sleep however was short-lived. Jimmy woke when he heard the slight creaking of Cindy's bed. His eyes opened immediately, scanning the room. When his gaze turned towards the bed, the boy saw Cindy walking towards him, eyes half-lidded, a blanket draped around her shoulders.

Once she neared him, Jimmy said in a loud whisper, "What are you doing awake? It's almost three in the morning and you need to rest. Come on Cindy, you have to get back to bed."

Jimmy was about to stand and guide her back to her bed when he could see her shivering. She mumbled, continuing to walk closer to him, "Too cold."

As she continued to make her way to him, Jimmy could see, in the dim light, that her eyes were hardly open, and the closer that he looked, Jimmy could see the girl fighting to stay awake but was losing. With every step that she took, the more she swayed.

Jimmy jumped from his seat and grabbed the girl's waist before she fell. Cindy leaned against the genius's chest and managed to mumble, "Can't…sleep…anymore. Blankets not enough to stop the cold. It's cold…"

Jimmy led the girl back to the windowsill. Once the reached his so called bed, Jimmy didn't know what else to do other than to sit her on his lap.

Her head rested on the crook of his neck, her legs pulled up to her chest was tucked between his legs. The boy could feel the girl tremble in his arms but when she felt her skin, it was the opposite. So much for a fever reducing syrup.

He breathed out in worry and wrapped both the blanket and his arms around her in an attempt to ward her from the cold, to give her as much warmth as possible. He let out a breath of anger, he felt completely worthless; there was nothing more that he could to help her.

The boy panicked, his mind went blank and he felt useless. His heart thudded against his chest so loudly that he was amazed that the girl in his arms didn't wake from it.


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: So, I'm very sorry for not updating sooner. And yes, I know I always say that with my chapters but I've been pretty busy. It's like there's so many things happening all at once… But anyways I'm sure you don't want to hear me ramble on so here's a new chapter of **Genuinely Happy**. Enjoy, and don't forget to review please! : ]**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Jimmy Neutron, I can only imagine that I do.**

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Even in her sleep, the boy could still feel the girl shake. Her deep, now even breaths calmed him down slightly. Jimmy swallowed down a lump of panic and placed his chin on the girl's hair, his arms pulling her tightly to his chest. His eyes never leaving her sleeping form.

It was the longest night of Jimmy's life.

The following morning, Cindy woke to find herself pressed against something warm and comfortable. She quickly scanned her surroundings and was surprised to find that Jimmy's arms were wrapped around her, the slight, comforting pressure of his chin still on the top of her head. She took in a sharp breath, her conflicting emotions raging within her. Finally being back in his arms felt amazing, and so comfortable; but she couldn't help but feel disappointed. What they were doing only would continue to make things more complex and awkward between them.

Hearing her sharp intake of breath, Jimmy lifted his head from hers and looked at the girl with soft, tired eyes. For a while, both said nothing, the silence, though awkward, was welcome. Neither of them wanting to talk about what had happened.

Not being able to take the silence any longer, Jimmy whispered, hesitantly, "M-Morning."

She couldn't find the courage in her to say anything back, her mind thinking of so many things to say but her body wouldn't comply. All Cindy could do was give him a small smile in return to acknowledge the fact that she heard him.

He said, his voice rough yet still somehow gentle all the same. "I don't know whether you remember or not but you woke up in the middle of the night- early morning actually."

The boy paused to gaze at the girl's face.

Cindy's eyes widened in realization, recollecting some of the events earlier that morning, her face a mixture of embarrassment and gratefulness.

He continued, "You were walking towards me, your blanket was wrapped around your shoulders. And throughout the whole time," Jimmy looked away from her and straight ahead; his eyes getting a slight faraway look, the memories playing in his mind.

The words seemed to come out of his mouth on their own accord. "While you we walking, you kept whispering 'it's cold'," His tone went down to a whisper, "And to top it all off, you kept shaking and trembling.

"I panicked, and I felt so useless. My mind went blank and I didn't know what to do."

His expression turned to shame, his eyes finally returning to hers; the emotion in them plain and clear.

Jimmy took a deep breath before he continued, "I did the only thing that came into my mind. I brought you back here and w-wrapped you in your blanket and then I wrapped my…my arms around you to do whatever it took to keep you as warm as possible.

"I don't think that you can even imagine the fear that I felt. You fell back asleep fairly quickly, and it was a good thing that you did. If you hadn't, it would have been very possible for you to be waking up in a hospital right about now."

A look of surprise was etched on the girl's face and before she could ask him to explain, he spoke again. "Your temperature was so high. No thermometer was needed for me to be able to tell. I was silently debating and fighting myself against the decision on whether or not I should have scooped you in my arms and ran you to the hospital or wait it out here.

"And imagine, all that happened in the few seconds until you fell back asleep again. You were still shaking but not as often as it was before, and you looked peaceful enough, I didn't want to bother you. I decided then to wait it out, but throughout the whole time, my body was tense, I was ready to jump out and be out the very moment you woke up again."

He stared at her with anguished eyes, and the sight alone caused Cindy's heart to drop.

"That was the longest night that I've ever gone through." He laughed without humor. "I was so very thankful that an hour or so later, your fever reduced significantly and your trembling stopped altogether. So, at around 4:30 in the morning, I managed to relax a bit. But in the end, I just stayed up the whole time to make sure that nothing would happen while I was asleep."

He shook his head and stared at her with helpless eyes, his voice showing how vulnerable and how afraid he was, "Cindy… You scared me. You…you scared me."

Jimmy leaned his head against the wall, and stared out the window.

His breath hitched when he felt her hand on his face, her thumb rubbing his cheek. The boy couldn't help it. He closed his eyes and leaned his head into her hand, involuntarily wrapping his arms tighter around her in the process. After a while, he let out a pained groan but kept his face there.

Cindy swallowed the guilt and the pain that was that was rising in her and whispered, "Thank you Jimmy."

He said nothing in reply, the only proof to show that he heard was a small sigh that escaped his lips.

After a few minutes of sitting on the windowsill, something inside Jimmy seemed to snap.

He opened his eyes and firmly but gently grabbed Cindy's hand and placed it on her lap. The girl stared at him with wide eyes as he did so. She tried to search his face for an answer to his actions but, there was nothing in his face that could give him away, his face almost business-like.

He said in monotone, "I really believe that your fever is gone and it seems that your chills have gone with it. I think that it's time for me to go. I'm sure you have more important things to do than sit around here."

Cindy's eyes remained wide but said nothing as she stood up and watched as he picked up his shirt. He gave her a small, curt nod and quickly walked out the door.

The girl stood at the edge of her bed, listening to the soft echoes as he walked down her stairs, hurt and self-anger in her features. A part of her couldn't believe that Jimmy did something like that to her. To leave her when she needed him.


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Surprise, surprise… Um, I managed to write out to chapters for the story as a way for saying thank you for being patient with the long wait. I know it's shorter than the other chapter but I thought it was a good way to end. I'll be sure to update as soon as possible because I now have free time at home for the next couple of weeks :]**

**Disclaimer: It's the same as the other chapters…**

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But he was right. Her fever was gone and she was feeling considerably better than the day before. She also couldn't blame him. She sighed. The emotional rollercoaster in the past day alone took a toll on her; she could barely imagine how it affected him. And, in the end, she realized it was her fault. The way that she ended things left nothing for either of them to be comfortable about.

As she sat on her bed, the memories replayed in her mind. It was 3 months after his birthday, she had gone into his room, and her face had the same look when he told her that he had to leave. Business-like. His face had a look of questioning when she came in unannounced but his eyes were still beaming at the sight of her. Then, she told him it was over. No warnings, no reasons. And just as suddenly as she appeared, she left. She left him there struggling to keep himself together while she walked away.

Cindy let out a long, angry sigh. She hated herself. Hated the fact that there was no way for her to take it back. And she couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't take life without him; couldn't take the guilt that was eating her alive; couldn't take the longing that was practically shredding her heart to pieces. She wanted –no– _**needed**_ him back in her life.

After almost 45 minutes of thinking things over, Cindy ran down the stairs, not bothering to fix her hair or change out of her night clothes.

On the way out of the door, her eyes caught sight of a folded piece of white paper on one of her mother's coffee tables. Cindy stopped and slowly walked towards the note. In the front, she could see her name written out in his small, elegant script.

Just staring at the paper made her heart throb and beat erratically.

With slightly shaking hands, she grabbed the paper and read the words written in his handwriting:

_Cindy,_

_I'm sorry for the way that I acted before I left. I don't know what was going through my mind and what went over me but it was inexcusable. Actually, scratch that. I did know what was going on. I was frustrated. We were both so close to one another and I didn't know how to react and what to think anymore. I just, I sat there with your hand on my face and it reminded me of how it was, how it was when we were still in a…relationship. _

_So, the reason that I did what I did was because, I was tired of constantly setting myself up to something that was not there. All last night, I'm sure you noticed that I was acting weird. Holding something back. And if you must know, I was holding back my feelings, to make things less awkward between the two of us. But in truth, all I wanted was to let go of everything. I'm sure you pitied me._

_Once again, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings in any way by my actions._

_But there is still a matter that I need to talk with you about._

_Us._

_We need to talk about what happened between us. I'm not asking for you to take me back. I just wanted to know what I did wrong. I just… I want to know why. That's all I'm asking for._

_I don't care when you decide to talk to me. Whenever you're ready. Be it two days from now or five years, in the end I just want it to happen. _

_And for whatever it's worth, which is more than likely not much, you should know, I still love you. Always will, of that I'm sure._

_Yours Forever,_

_James Isaac Neutron_

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**Almost forgot, please read and review. I appreciate the feedback. :D**

**Representin' All Day**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: The second to the last chapter of **Genuinely Happy. **I'm actually kinda iffy about this chapter so for this, I really need to know what you people think. : ] **

**Please don't forget to read and review!**

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Cindy let out a breath that she didn't realize that she was holding in. Tears were rolling down her face after she read. Tears from the realization on how much she hurt him, on how much she made the both of them suffer. It was like a slap in the face when it dawned upon her that it was just her life that she was ruining, she brought Jimmy with her.

Hastily, she wiped her eyes and ran out the door. She quickly made her way across the street and was about to knock on the door when she realized that the Neutrons' door wasn't closed all the way.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door silently as she could and closed it behind her. Nervously, she walked up the stairs, her heart hammering in her chest with every step that she took.

When she finally made it to the second floor, she could see the bathroom light on, the door open. Not hearing any noise, Cindy slowly made her way there, fighting the urge to turn around and flee.

Slowly, the girl walked into the steam filled room and saw that the boy wasn't there. As she was about to walk out, Jimmy walked in, standing underneath the doorway; a towel draped around his neck, his short brown hair matted to his forehead, dressed in nothing but shorts, and eyes looking down.

Despite the situation that they were in, Cindy couldn't help but stare at the boy standing in front of her. In her mind, there were so many things that she wanted to stay but her traitorous mouth wouldn't comply.

The boy ran his hand through his hair and finally looked up. When their gazes locked, he visible froze.

Cindy stood awkwardly as his gaze continued to be fixed on her, she stammered, "H-Hi. Um, your door was unlocked and I kinda just decided to come and thank you p-properly.

"So… thank you for being there. I don't really get sick that often but when I do it's pretty short in duration but my symptoms are just so much worse to compensate for the short time," she babbled. "I-"

Realizing what she was doing, Cindy blushed furiously. It was one of the few times where Cindy Vortex actually got nervous in talking to someone.

She took a deep breath and then said, her voice much calmer than previously, "Thank you Jimmy. I appreciate everything that you did."

Jimmy remained silent, refusing to speak and continued to look at her with guarded eyes. Cindy sighed and fought back the desire to run away (and to cry) and slowly walked past the boy.

Once she reached Jimmy's side and was about to walk out of the bathroom, Jimmy grabbed her wrist. He continued to look straight forward but he said in a rough whisper, "Why'd you end it between us?"

Cindy knew that by coming to his house, she would be hearing those words. But now that they have been said, she didn't know how to react.

She took a couple of steps back so that she was standing a few feet away from him. She raised her head to look at him. Then, before she was about to answer, Jimmy said, his voice strained, "I know that I told you that I would wait till you were ready to talk about it, but I _**need**_ to know.

"Was it because your feelings for me stopped? If that's the exact reason why, then by all means, I'm sorry for keeping you here and you can leave if you want to. And I won't bother you any longer."

Cindy's face was filled with shock, and finally said, "No! No. It was never that Jimmy. How could you think something like that?"

"'How could _**I**_ think something like that?'", he repeated, his tone suddenly jumping to anger. "Well, I don't know Cindy! What am I supposed to think when a girl walks up to her boyfriend and says, 'We're over', with hardly a tear in her eyes? While her _**boyfriend**_ is the one struggling to keep it together, wondering what in the hell he did wrong!"

Cindy flinched slightly at the small hint of hostility in his tone. She understood that he had every right to be angry, but it took everything that she had to prevent herself from yelling back. With forced calm, she replied, "I ended things between the two of us because...in the years that we've dated, the two of us have gotten into more fights and arguments than we've ever had as friends. It was like our relationship was clouded by these arguments; yes, we were happy but we fought so much and I-"

She stopped when Jimmy snorted and shook his head. He said with a hint of mockery, his feelings unraveling with every moment after so many months of keeping them at bay. "So, you ended things between us because Cindy Vortex couldn't take the arguing anymore? That's really…selfish of you."

Fists clenched, Cindy tried to stop the anger that was building up in her. She really could understand why he was angry, she could. But she couldn't fight against her nature of being short-tempered and impatient. She yelled back, "Well then, seeing as you have your own opinion and you don't want to hear my reasons, then fine! Think whatever you want Neutron!

"And if you must know, I broke up with you because I was afraid of our constant fighting! I didn't want to risk having a fight that would make things so bad between us that we wouldn't be able to stand being around each other!"

She let out a heavy breath, her fists still clenched. Cindy stared at the boy, who after hearing her words had turned his head away, his mouth in a set line. She shook her head and walked past him. She made it to the first step and was about to make her way down until she heard him whisper, "Isn't that what you always get though?"

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**Hey, so now you know why I was kinda iffy about it right? I couldn't really think of anything else that would apply to breaking up Jimmy and Cindy other than what I wrote up there. If any of you guys have any comments to say about it, please let me know so that I can keep it mind for the future. Anyways thanks for reading this rather long author's note.**

**Representin' All Day**


	10. Final Chapter

**A/N: Thank you so much to the people who took their time to bother with this story. : ] You don't know how much I appreciate the reviews and the feedbacks for this and it really helped me out with my writings. (Sorry for keeping you guys waiting for chapters 1-5, but I wanted to make it up to you guys. I posted the rest of the chapters in less than a week! Yay!) But once again, thanks for sticking with it.**

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She stopped almost immediately and turned to face him. She could see that he still hadn't moved from his spot from the doorway, his back still turned to her. Cindy asked, "What?"

Jimmy cleared his throat, and whispered again, though slightly louder, "Arguing, I mean. Isn't that what you always get when you combine a Neutron and Vortex? But, it's all it is, its petty arguments that don't and shouldn't mean a thing, and it especially shouldn't get between us." He turned to face her, his face defeated.

Cindy sighed and sat on the top step, her hair falling over her face. She didn't look at him as she said, "I wasn't lying to you when I said that I ended us because of the amount of arguments that you and I got into. I meant that. It wasn't because I didn't love you anymore, it could _**never**_ be that.

"I got scared. Most of the times that we were together, something would always come up and would more than like end up with the both of us yelling at each other. And every time we managed to work it out but…I just kept thinking about what would happen if ever we couldn't.

"If we were still together, one of these days, odds are there's bound to be an argument that might make us hate each other. Hate that was so bad that we wouldn't be able to stand being in the same proximity as the other. And that was something that I wasn't going to risk.

"So, I told you that we were done. The two of us may not have been as close as before but you were still in my life. We didn't talk much to one another, but in the end, we still did." Cindy looked up at him, and saw a thin film of unshed tears in his eyes, his jaw locked. Touching her own face, she could feel that tears were once again coming from her eyes.

She gave him a pleading look, desperate for him to try and understand where she was coming from. "James."

The boy looked away. She repeated his name again and finally their gazes met. "I need you in my life. Not want, but need. If us not being in a relationship would guarantee that then…" Tears fell much faster from her eyes. She looked down as she whispered, "I couldn't risk it. I wouldn't. Not with you."

Jimmy's face softened and he slowly made his way to her. Silently, he sat on the top step next to her, leaving a small gap between them. He lifted her chin with his finger. Cindy stared at him with red eyes. Softly he whispered, his tone light, "You know, it's ironic the situation that we're in."

She looked at him in confusion, but the sadness in her eyes faded slightly. And for the second time in so many months, he laughed sincerely. "Our roles, they've switched. Think about it, isn't it usually me who over thinks things and refuses to take risks? While with you, I constantly remind you that there are times when you need think before acting.

"Hell, you would jump not knowing where you were going to land, and would be more than willing to give me a kick in the butt to urge me to stop me from over-analyzing and to just act; and now you're saying you don't want to be that way anymore?"

Cindy laughed slightly though it did not quite reach her eyes. She remained silent. Jimmy wiped the tears off her face with his thumbs. He continued, "Well, if that's the case, then it's my turn. I'm willing to risk everything, just so that I can tell the world that I'm yours. It's my turn to jump, and I can't find a better reason to jump than for this. For us.

"For once in my life, I'm going to stop thinking things through. If we're meant for one another, which I will place my life to say that we are, all the arguments that we _**will**_ have, we can work it out. And I promise you this, I could never hate you. It wouldn't matter how many arguments we get into or how bad it gets, I could never ever hate you. And whether you want me to be or not, I'm gonna be stuck in your life." He gave her a small smile.

"It's been three months... Three long months since we've both been genuinely happy. And you know as well as I do that it's the truth." He paused. He looked at her with desperate pleading eyes, and then said in a softer tone, more hesitant. "What do you say?"

Cindy gave him a slight and uncertain nod but the way his face glowed made up for whatever uncertainties that she had.

He smiled widely as he leaned his forehead against hers. And for a moment, he closed his eyes and relished the feel of her presence so close to him.

And in a matter of seconds, his lips were on hers. The moved against hers urgently, both reacquainting their lips with one another's.

Cindy wound one arm around Jimmy's neck pulling him closer, the other hand running up and down his arm; her fingers tracing the contours of the muscles on his upper arm. His own hands were on her waist, rubbing small circles on her hips with his thumbs.

When they finally pulled apart, their breaths came in small, ragged breaths, eyes now glazed with happiness. Cindy leaned her forehead against Jimmy's and gave him a small smile. After a short moment, she pressed her lips against his and gave the boy a lingering kiss.

Jimmy smiled into the kiss, and it continued to grow as Cindy pulled away and placed her head on his chest. He watched as she closed her eyes, and soon afterward he himself closed his eyes in content.

They remained on that spot for what seemed like a blissful forever, Jimmy's back against the stair rail, Cindy's head on his chest, her head resting against hers, their fingers loosely intertwined.

And for the first time in a long time, they were happy.

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**It's finally done... :) I hope it was a good ending for you guys and thank you again so much for sticking with it. Please read and review, criticism and or comments will help me for future writings **

**Representin' All Day**


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